Method and apparatus for fuel island authorization for trucking industry using proximity sensors

摘要

A fuel authorization program based on equipping fuel station, fuel pumps, and vehicles with components to enable automatic fuel authorization for enrolled vehicles. The program includes fuel pumps including a pump transmitting sensor that automatically emits a pump ID. As a vehicle pulls in next to the pump a vehicle coupling receiving sensor detects the pump ID signal and a proximity link is created. The vehicle sensor passes the pump ID via hardwire or Bluetooth to vehicle fuel authorization processor (which can be part of a telematics device). The vehicle processor transmits the pump ID (and any fuel authorization credentials needed, such as a PIN or VIN) via WI-FI to a Station processor for fuel vendor authorization. If approved, the pump is enabled. As the vehicle moves away the coupling sensor link is broken and the vehicle transmits a “disconnect” message via Wi-Fi and the pump is disabled.

主权项

1. A method for administering a fuel authorization program, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) automatically detecting a vehicle approaching a fuel station including a plurality of different fuel pumps; (b) automatically transmitting a fuel pump identifier (ID) from a proximity transmitter component disposed at each of the plurality of fuel pumps, such that each one of the plurality of fuel pumps transmits a unique ID, in response to detecting the approaching vehicle, such that each fuel pump ID is not continuously being broadcasted, but is only broadcast in response to detecting the approaching vehicle; (c) receiving the fuel pump ID of the fuel pump the vehicle is adjacent to using a proximity receiver component disposed at the vehicle proximate to a fueling port for receiving fuel, the vehicle receiver proximity component being logically coupled to a vehicle based fuel authorization processor component; (d) automatically conveying the fuel pump ID received by the proximity receiver component to the vehicle based fuel authorization processor component in response to receiving the fuel pump ID at the proximity receiver component; (e) automatically using a station wireless data link to send the fuel pump ID and a fuel ID from the vehicle based fuel authorization processor component to a station fuel authorization processor component in response to obtaining the fuel ID at the vehicle based fuel authorization processor component; and (f) automatically using the fuel ID at the station fuel authorization processor component in response to receiving the fuel pump ID and fuel ID at the station fuel authorization processor component, to determine if the vehicle is enrolled in the fuel authorization program and is authorized to receive fuel, and if so, automatically enabling fuel delivery at the fuel pump identified by the fuel pump ID.